@dilmandila@mograph.social cover
@dilmandila@mograph.social avatar

dilmandila

@[email protected]

I Write. I make films. Transmedia artist. My blog @dilman is about my works and life. I daydream a lot and want to be paid for it. Been creating #sff #scifi for long but only recently was BSFA + Nommo Awards + PKD Awards 2024 finalist!

My films #DilmanShortFilms

#fedi22 #filmmaking #writing #writingcommunity #film #writer #filmmaker #solarpunk

East Africa

Avatar: my selfie in a grey hood, in a misty freezing town, I look miserable. Header: comic page of a woman holding a baby

This profile is from a federated server and may be incomplete. View on remote instance

@dilmandila@mograph.social avatar dilmandila , to random

This valentine's day, take a moment to read how they are destroying a wetland, an important site for migratory birds from Europe every winter, for $65m a year. "An exclusive investigation reveals how flower farms in Uganda’s protected wetlands are shipping millions of stems to Europe— ending up in ALDI aisles and the vases of the Dutch royal family."

Ugly Valentine: How ‘Fairtrade’ Roses Ravage Uganda’s Wetlands | Pulitzer Center
https://pulitzercenter.org/stories/ugly-valentine-how-fairtrade-roses-ravage-ugandas-wetlands

@dilmandila@mograph.social avatar dilmandila , to random

people, what hotkey works to Add Constraints (with Targets) in pose mode? I've tried Shft + Ctrl + X, as indicated in the Keymap but not responsive. I try changing to a new combination but nothing works. I can use the Menu though, Pose / Constraints, but would be nice to have a work with the keyboard. I'm using Linux, Blender 5.0.0

@dilmandila@mograph.social avatar dilmandila , to random

Question on I intend to publish a public domain book, Myths and Legends of the Bantu. I think it's an important documentation of our cultures, but it has problematic and racist content. So my goal is to strip it of racism, fix some factual errors, etc. I can't claim authorship, original author has moral rights to that. I'll only claim editorship. But 1) Can I legally register a copyright to this edition? 2) Is this whitewashing the author of her racism?

@dilmandila@mograph.social avatar dilmandila , to random

Finally at that stage where I need to build a website for my small press venture and I realized I need a name. I'm debating between these two.

Ododo is the Acholi word for (folk?) story (or rather, when someone is starting a story, they say "ododo na ni yo" which loosely translates to "May I tell you a story")

Lawino is an Acholi name and a character in one of the most famous Ugandan books outside the country, Song of Lawino by Okot p'Bitek.

@dilmandila@mograph.social avatar dilmandila , to random

Long shot, but hopefully I get results. In the early 2000s, I read a Ugandan newspaper article about two Indian scientists trying to genetically engineer the anopheles mosquito. That set off alarm bells so I wrote a short story, which some universities in UK and Kenya teach in a course Applied African Science Fiction. I've looked for that article but can't find it. I guess it must have been via Reuters or AP or such a newswire.
Anyone think they can dig it up?

@dilmandila@mograph.social avatar dilmandila , to random

So in they have found a way to deny internet access if you use vpn? I used to imagine VPN's actually hide you from such things. They banned all social media (but I guess the fediverse is not on their crosshairs either because they don't know about it, or its not ban-able due to the numerous sites? So we've been using VPN but now if you have vpn running you don't get any access. This is frightening.

@dilmandila@mograph.social avatar dilmandila , to random

I haven't used Windows since around May last year and I don't want to go back, but a little frustrated with HDR creation options in Mint. I used Insta360 x5 to take the images, but Darktable doesn't recorgnize .dng as RAW, while the appimage of Raw Therapee isn't responding. Gimp is asking for plugins for these two and I can't figure it out. I've tried Luminace HDR, Photomatix, Hugin, Affinity won't install on Wine... Anything I can try? Or how do you make HDRs in Linux?

@dilmandila@mograph.social avatar dilmandila , to random

Back in the day I used to enjoy blog hops (I think that is what it was called) where bloggers would write about a topic, or theme, and then include links to the blogs of everyone participating. I haven't seen this done in a while, but it would be nice to revive it. Anyone up for it?

I'm not sure I'm good at organizing stuff, but it would be nice to do this.

@dilmandila@mograph.social avatar dilmandila , to random

If you develop for please make offline installation possible, for people in countries with restricted internet. Came back home last night and today I want to install Luminance HDR but their only option for linux is via the terminal, and yet, while I can access full internet on my phone using a VPN, I can't access any on my laptop/workstations, so I can't install this program, unless I use Wine. I'm in They cut off internet during elections and it has now been partially restored.

@dilmandila@mograph.social avatar dilmandila , to random

"I make a point of supporting these independent voices. I encourage you to do the same... The forces of conformity and centralization of power are stronger now than ever. Books have always been our safeguard in such troubled times. But when books are controlled and constrained by the entrenched system, they fail to provide us with meaningful alternatives.

Our safety and freedom only come from indie culture, alt culture, counterculture."
https://www.honest-broker.com/p/the-day-ny-publishing-lost-its-soul

dilmandila OP ,
@dilmandila@mograph.social avatar

Hence your friendly reminder to support me 😊 I regularly make short films that you can see here @dilmandila and this year I'll get into self-publishing because I have a huge pile of unpublished works that aren't getting attention of gatekeepers.

You can send a one off donation or be a regular on patreon. Details here
https://www.dilmandila.com/donate

@dilmandila@mograph.social avatar dilmandila , to random

Excerpt from a book I'm reading, Slow Poison, by Mahmood Mamdani, father of Zorhan Mamdani.

"FBI agents knocked on
my door...they asked what I thought of Marx. I said I had
never met him. Not surprisingly, this Ugandan Muyindi had never heard of Karl
Marx. “He’s dead.”

I said, “I'm sorry, what happened?”

“No, he died long ago.”

I wondered why, then, the question. “Why, then, are you asking me?”
Later, I would remind myself: the FBI introduced me to Karl Marx! "

Roughly a month after returning from Alabama, two FBI agents knocked on my door, wearing beige raincoats, badges in hand. The FBI—I was thrilled. Just like on television, I thought. After a few preliminaries, they asked what I thought of Marx. I said I had never met him. Not surprisingly, this Ugandan Muyindi had never heard of Karl Marx. “He’s dead.” I said, “I'm sorry, what happened?” “No, he died long ago.” I wondered why, then, the question. “Why, then, are you asking me?” They said that Marx believed that the money of rich people should be taken away and distributed to poor people. I said it sounded like a fine idea! At that point, they seemed to decide there was little point in continuing the conversation, and they left. That, however, was not the end of the story. I went to the library to look up Marx. Later, I would remind myself: the FBI intro- duced me to Karl Marx! This was 1965. It would mark my entry point into the civil rights movement. There was a student organization at the university called
ALT
@dilmandila@mograph.social avatar dilmandila , to random

I don't understand why gatekeepers fuss over "perfect" story openings. When I start reading, I don't go in thinking I'll see how the first few pages go. I mentally prepare to read the whole book, and give up after whenever I don't like it. I know they have huge slush piles and need to evaluate works quickly, but obsessing with openings gives us novels like A Heart Breaking Work of Staggering Genius, strong first chapters that meander into boredom.

@dilmandila@mograph.social avatar dilmandila , to random

On Halloween, I released a new short film, Lajok The Night Dancer. ICYMI, here it is again, a revenge fantasy where dance, instead of guns or karate, enables the main character to get justice. It's based on the most popular character in Ugandan mythology. This is a small thread about the making of this film and you can enjoy it free on my channel @dilmandila

https://tv.dilstories.com/w/pvjR9o3oNJMBLHHUm9kpqW

1/5

dilmandila OP ,
@dilmandila@mograph.social avatar

Here is a rather long post about the experience, it summarises a lot of things, but if you would rather watch the videos, which are more fun, wait for the next toot. This article takes you through me working with Hani, the main character, to create the dance, and with Mudasi on the music, and it goes into the myths of the night dancer (some stuff isn't in the videos).

https://www.dilmandila.com/the-making-of-the-night-dancer/

2/5

@dilmandila@mograph.social avatar dilmandila , to random

"RenderMan was conceived at the University of Utah in the 1970s, where one of Pixar’s founders, Ed Catmull, earned his doctorate precisely on rendering problems. Catmull is probably the only person to have won both an Oscar (2008) and a Turing Award (2019).

What is less well known is that the research conducted by Catmull and his colleagues was funded by the U.S (DARPA)."

How Pixar’s technology helped develop more lethal military drones | Technology | EL PAÍS English
https://english.elpais.com/technology/2025-12-02/how-pixars-technology-helped-develop-more-lethal-military-drones.html#

@operationpuppet@mastodon.content.town avatar operationpuppet , to random

I understand why some creators, including myself, don't leave . However it's vital now more than ever to also make yourself a server. You need an accurate archive of your work that YOU control, even if no one watches it there. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrwJgDHJJoE

dilmandila ,
@dilmandila@mograph.social avatar

@blakefox @operationpuppet Its very easy to set up your own peertube. Problem with being on others is they can vanish without warning. I was on one that appeared decent but just went dark and they never responded to emails, so I went over to fedihost and signed up and got it running fairly easily. It is as cheap and as easy as setting up your own website, even easier.

@dilmandila@mograph.social avatar dilmandila , to random

Looking through old photos of when I was in Nepal, 2010, and came across this one of a school. Gave me a good giggle.

A signpost with the words "To Get Quality Education According to New Curriculum BRAINWASH TUITION INSTITUTION" and an address after that "Srijanshell Tola, Dhading Bensi, Dhading."
ALT
@dilmandila@mograph.social avatar dilmandila , to random

RE: https://mograph.social/@dilmandila/115473749375019108

Yay! Main goal is met! So I'll start filming in Feb. I still need your support on a stretch goal for gear (eg green screen) to make it easier to create needed to imagine a future, with no central governments, no police, no politicians, and ordinary folk govern themselves in a direct democracy.

80/750

Details https://www.dilmandila.com/donate/wind-a-solarpunk-short-film

dilmandila OP ,
@dilmandila@mograph.social avatar

Maybe I should ask people if anyone has a 360 degree camera or color checker they don't need anymore? I need to buy such gear to make it easier to build a world in my short film, hence the stretch goal. Please boost, or donate if you can!

90/2000

Details https://www.dilmandila.com/donate/wind-a-solarpunk-short-film

dilmandila OP ,
@dilmandila@mograph.social avatar

@retech That's what I've been doing. It worked well since I mostly had with few interior locations. This film has several exterior locations, as the MC is on a journey, each location will require its own HDRI, perhaps each shot will, and yet we won't have much time since we will be like 300km from home. So I need something to generate the images more quickly. I'll have vehicles, machines, buildings, which need fairly accurate reflections. But tripod is last resort if I don't make this goal. :-))

dilmandila OP ,
@dilmandila@mograph.social avatar

@NiwlCraft @retech ah, I will have to check with the camera rental places around here, someone might have one. Thanks for the tip! I didn't know they had made one this wide!

@dilmandila@mograph.social avatar dilmandila , to random

A view of the Osu Castle in Accra, Ghana. The walls are white, and two towers stick up in the middle of the photo, behind some greenery. One tower looks more like a security lookout post, with the top wider than the support (don't know what that thing is called). The ocean is visible on the left side of the image.
ALT
@JessTheUnstill@infosec.exchange avatar JessTheUnstill , to random

[Thread, post or comment was deleted by the author]

    •
    dilmandila ,
    @dilmandila@mograph.social avatar

    @JessTheUnstill Would creating lists help? I make a list based on certain criteria, and it somehow helps

    @dilmandila@mograph.social avatar dilmandila , to random

    I'm making a new film, a dark comedy set in a world where direct democracy thrives, no politicians, no central governments, where communities are self-sufficient and help each other to survive the climate crisis. But I need your support to imagine this future.

    Details https://www.dilmandila.com/donate/wind-a-solarpunk-short-film

    598/2000

    This film is the final step toward making a feature set in this world.

    dilmandila OP ,
    @dilmandila@mograph.social avatar

    The first two weeks of this is good! I didn't expect so much so soon! Thank you very much for your love to this short film! It's a future with no central governments, no politicians, no police, and tech exists to make every village largely self-sufficient. I need your support to envision this future. Boost or donate if you can!

    1390/2000
    Details: https://www.dilmandila.com/embracing-solarpunk-in-my-stories/

    dilmandila OP ,
    @dilmandila@mograph.social avatar

    This support my short film, to enable me master the visual effects needed to bring a near future world to life. I'm telling a story set in a country without governments, politicians or police, where ordinary folk govern themselves in a direct Sharing this post with your networks, or donating, will help envision this future!

    1410/2000

    Details https://www.dilmandila.com/donate/wind-a-solarpunk-short-film

    dilmandila OP ,
    @dilmandila@mograph.social avatar

    I just read a news that the boom in Pakistan coincided with the rapid depletion of water tables, perhaps a sign that capitalism will derail the revolution. I'm making a film that envisions a future where profit doesn't drive change, and clean energy happens with social justice. I need your support to make it 🙏 Share or donate if you can!

    1430/2000

    Details https://www.dilmandila.com/embracing-solarpunk-in-my-stories/

    dilmandila OP ,
    @dilmandila@mograph.social avatar
    dilmandila OP ,
    @dilmandila@mograph.social avatar

    As I prepare to write the script for this film, I gather my thoughts to clarify the ideas I want to put out clearly, and so this blog post hints at life in this future without a centralized government, no police or military, and no capitalism.

    I need your support to make it! Please share, or donate if you can!

    1450/2000

    Details: https://www.dilmandila.com/the-solarpunk-ideas-ill-explore-in-my-new-film/

    dilmandila OP ,
    @dilmandila@mograph.social avatar

    Clean energy without fixing the system will recycle the injustices of today. Some see in Africa's solar boom, but I fear we’ll end up with a few monopoly corporations and will happen.

    I'm making a film that imagines a green future with no capitalism, no politicians, no central governments or police, and I need your support to make it!

    1537/2000

    Details https://www.dilmandila.com/the-solarpunk-ideas-ill-explore-in-my-new-film/

    dilmandila OP ,
    @dilmandila@mograph.social avatar

    I'm close to goal for a comedy film set in a near future with no central government, politicians, or capitalism; ordinary citizens govern themselves and support each other to survive the crisis. Stories like this inspire hope that this future is possible. So show me some love, share! Or donate if you can!

    1537/2000

    Details https://www.dilmandila.com/donate/wind-a-solarpunk-short-film

    dilmandila OP ,
    @dilmandila@mograph.social avatar

    I'm for a short film to work out needed to imagine a future with no capitalism, no states, no politicians. Instead people govern themselves and set up egalitarian systems as they face the crisis. I need your support to make it! Please share, or donate. There are rewards of my arts for each penny you can spare.

    1608/2000

    Details https://www.dilmandila.com/donate/wind-a-solarpunk-short-film

    dilmandila OP ,
    @dilmandila@mograph.social avatar

    I daydream about food processing technologies to fight hunger in the climate crisis. What if everyone had a gadget in their kitchen that easily preserves fruits, vegs, etc, before they go bad? Help me imagine it in a film set in an egalitarian world that runs on direct democracy and is free from capitalism!

    1608/2000

    Details https://www.dilmandila.com/donate/wind-a-solarpunk-short-film

    dilmandila OP ,
    @dilmandila@mograph.social avatar

    Donations stalled for a few days, but I'm thankful for your support to this film since I'm excluded from platforms like due to global financial systems. This comedy imagines a future with no such colonial policies, no capitalism, and people govern themselves in a direct democracy. Share or donate if you can!

    1608/2000

    Details https://www.dilmandila.com/donate/wind-a-solarpunk-short-film

    dilmandila OP ,
    @dilmandila@mograph.social avatar

    Wow! I'm touched. A flurry of love brings me close to raising the production budget of this short film. Thank you all so much! I can't do it without your support as I'm excluded from platforms like yet I really want to make this film about a future with no capitalism, governments, or police. Boost or donate if you can!

    1868/2000

    Details https://www.dilmandila.com/donate/wind-a-solarpunk-short-film

    dilmandila OP ,
    @dilmandila@mograph.social avatar

    I'm $120 away from my first goal, to raise the production budget of this short film set in a solarpunk world without capitalism, politicians, central governments, or police.

    I rely on your support as I'm excluded from platforms like kickstarter due to hangover colonial systems.

    Boost or donate if you can!

    1888/2000

    Details https://www.dilmandila.com/donate/wind-a-solarpunk-short-film

    dilmandila OP ,
    @dilmandila@mograph.social avatar

    Almost there! About $50 gets me to the first goal to cover production costs. Then I'll go for a $700 stretch goal for vfx gadgets and stuff that will make it easier to create a future! Thank you for supporting me, with ideas to imagine life without capitalism or governments, with boosts, and with donations♥️

    1953/2000

    Details https://www.dilmandila.com/donate/wind-a-solarpunk-short-film

    dilmandila OP ,
    @dilmandila@mograph.social avatar

    I hit my first target for production costs, so now on a stretch goal for gear to make it easier to create visual effects needed to imagine a future with no capitalism, no government or politicians or police; people govern themselves in a direct democracy. Help me make this film, boost, or donate if you can!

    90/750

    Details https://www.dilmandila.com/donate/wind-a-solarpunk-short-film

    dilmandila OP ,
    @dilmandila@mograph.social avatar

    I'm making a comedy film about a couple quarreling over chicken, a plot device to imagine food in the crisis, but there's no capitalism, government, politicians, or police; rather, ordinary folk run the country in a direct democracy. I need your support to buy gear to ease vfx works. Boost, or donate if you can!

    90/750

    Details https://www.dilmandila.com/donate/wind-a-solarpunk-short-film

    dilmandila OP ,
    @dilmandila@mograph.social avatar

    About 12 days left in this Please give me a boost to meet a stretch goal for gear to ease the creation of visual effects in a world with no capitalism, no governments or politicians, no police. As the crisis worsens and fascism rises around the world, help me imagine a better future.

    95/750

    Details https://www.dilmandila.com/donate/wind-a-solarpunk-short-film

    dilmandila OP ,
    @dilmandila@mograph.social avatar

    I use comedy in a hopeful future since fascists hate laughter and protests in use frog humor. My film discusses the future of governance in a world without politicians, or capitalism and oligarchs, where every citizen has a say in running the government. There are rewards for every dollar you donate!

    Stretch goal 102/750
    https://www.dilmandila.com/donate/wind-a-solarpunk-short-film

    dilmandila OP ,
    @dilmandila@mograph.social avatar

    About 10 days left on this , and I'm $600 away from my stretch goal. Please give me a boost, or donate if you can, so I can buy gear to make it easier to create for a future without capitalism, governments, or politicians. It's a and I'm sure you want a good laugh, among other rewards!

    112/750

    Details https://www.dilmandila.com/donate/wind-a-solarpunk-short-film
    mutual_aid

    dilmandila OP ,
    @dilmandila@mograph.social avatar

    Raising another $130 will give me enough for a green screen system to ease replacing backgrounds with elements, since I'm creating a near-future set in a world without capitalism, governments, or politicians. Help me make this film. Boost or donate!

    122/750

    Details https://www.dilmandila.com/donate/wind-a-solarpunk-short-film

    mutual_aid

    dilmandila OP ,
    @dilmandila@mograph.social avatar

    Four days left to end this I'm on a stretch goal to buy gear that will ease the creation of for a world set in the near future, with no capitalism, no central governments, no politicians or police. Help me make this film, boost or donate if you can for awesome perks like my short films!

    122/750

    Details https://www.dilmandila.com/donate/wind-a-solarpunk-short-film

    mutual_aid

    dilmandila OP ,
    @dilmandila@mograph.social avatar

    A very generous donation helps me reach the mid-way point. Yay! I'm on a stretch goal for gear to make it easier to imagine an alternative future with no capitalism, governments, or military. Help me make this comedy ; boost or donate if you can.

    360/750

    Details https://www.dilmandila.com/donate/wind-a-solarpunk-short-film

    mutual_aid

    dilmandila OP ,
    @dilmandila@mograph.social avatar

    I'm almost there! I'm in the last days of this and now aiming at a stretch goal for gear to make it easier to build a world with no capitalism or governments; no politicians or billionaires hoarding all power and resources.

    Boost, or donate if you can!

    460/750

    https://www.dilmandila.com/donate/wind-a-solarpunk-short-film

    mutual_aid

    dilmandila OP ,
    @dilmandila@mograph.social avatar

    I woke up to a very general donation that helps me cross the finishing line. Your kindness has floored me, dear strangers, and I'm speechless. Don't know how to say thank you other than to pour my heart into this short film and hopefully give you all a good laugh. Thank you so much!

    dilmandila OP ,
    @dilmandila@mograph.social avatar

    This ends tomorrow. I hit my goals. Yay! I'll keep it open for late to cover stuff like paypal fees and unpredictable transfer/forex costs (I guess about $200 for all) So if you can spare a penny help me imagine a future with no capitalism, politicians, or billionaires!

    2805/2750

    Details https://www.dilmandila.com/donate/wind-a-solarpunk-short-film